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German publishers encourage Facebook transparency

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Facebook has chosen Germany as the next country outside of the U.S. to test tools that filter out fake news, but details of how exactly this will work have been thin, leaving publishers keen for more face time with the social media giant.

Facebook readers in Germany can flag dubious stories, which are then forwarded to Correctiv, a well-respected local third-party fact-checking organization. If a story is deemed unreliable, it will be de-prioritized in the news feed. Users can still share the post, but they will see a warning telling them it has been disputed. Facebook is also clamping down on those who make money through programmatically served ads alongside fake-news articles. These features were announced in the U.S. in December.

“It’s a first step, and it is appreciated that they are now moving, but it is a bit late,” said Oliver von Wersch, managing director at German magazine publisher Gruner + Jahr.

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